GCSE English 5EH3A Unit 3 – Poetry responses Candidate A:

Moderator comment and mark: This is a perceptive response, with a clear sense that the candidate has understood all three poems. Each section has a sense of overview and focuses on the effect of the different techniques used by the poets. For example, in the last paragraph on the first page there is a sustained analysis of the symbolism of the stripping of paint from the car in 'Parade's End' and the final section on 'Exposure' discusses the effect of the rhetorical questions. Overall, this is a solid Band 5 piece. Mark: 23

Candidate B

Moderator comment and mark: Although this is a brief response, it is concise rather than undeveloped. There is some evidence of commentary on the effect of the poets' techniques: 'They...they...they've...meaning that she doesn't see the students as individuals'. Examples are well chosen and relevant, and are used consistently across all three poems. Overall, the response meets all of the criteria for Band 4. Mark: 16

Candidate C

Moderator comment and mark: This is an uneven response. There is evidence of personal engagement and the candidate uses consistent references to support the main points. There is some explanation of the effects of the techniques used, but this is not often developed in sufficient detail. The piece sits right on the borderline between Bands 2 and 3. Mark: 11

Candidate D

Moderator comment and mark: This is a personal but often unstructured response to the poems. The candidate includes a range of references but doesn't always support these with comments on the effect of the choices made by the poets. It is also uneven, with Valentine being dealt with in significantly more detail than the other two poems. Overall, there is just enough evidence of some understanding to merit a mark in Band 2. Mark: 6

Candidate E:

Moderator comment and mark: This is an uneven response. The section on Hitcher is fragmented, and the

contextual detail is not relevant. Lamentations is dealt with more successfully,

and examples are used effectively. There are sections in Conscientious

Objector which deal with language, but understanding is never more than

thorough, and a mark in Band 4 is most appropriate.

Mark: 16